The American memorial is especially beautiful. More disturbingly, they also suggested a concerted effort to conceal any links between Blassie and the remains. It was so exciting," she says. DNA tests determined that the remains in the tomb were those of Blassie. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Air Force jets fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery during the burial of Lt. Michael Blassie, July 11. You grow apart sometimes during this kind of tragedy. The government does not have the right to keep such information from the family., When I looked into all the documents and from my personal research, it was obvious that improper decisions were being made, and all of sudden Michael is the Unknown representing the missing from the Vietnam War. Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the somber burial. Its just an outsiders way of honoring all of your sacrifices. On May 28, 1984, a Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue. After Blassie's family secured permission . Try again later. Following the removal of Blassie's remains from the Tomb of the Unknowns, the slab marking "Vietnam" over the crypt that once held his remains was replaced with one that read "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen",[7] as it was decided that the Vietnam crypt would remain a vacant cenotaph. Unidentified remains from that war had been analyzed over a decade and a half. They detailed that Michael Blassies remains had been recovered in Vietnam and that the person who recovered them was Chris Calhoon. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. They talked to anyone they could find who was involved in the unknown selection process, and when they felt they were ready, they handed over their findings to Patricia Blassie. The ARVN turned the remains and the other crash site items over to Captain William C. Parnell, who was then serving as an operations officer at An Loc. In order for the X-26 remains to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknown, Webb had to sign a statement confirming that they would never be identified. No other MIA or KIA even remotely near the An Lc location would have possessed a life raft, parachute, and pistol holster. Interestingly, the soldiers identities *were* known and the Danes made an effort to give each soldier his last rites. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. I dont care what happened, but the documents showed that patrol went into Michaels crash site to find him, and they did. Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA. Photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford@post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie lost. Whatever the case, other aircraft were dispatched to the area to provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught. She was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before moving to Mary Queen and Mother Center in St. Louis. "We were all so proud of him. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. If they had, they might have hung up on him. One of the most memorable actors ever almost gave it up to be an Air Force pilot. [3] After Blassie's family secured permission, the remains were exhumed on May 14, 1998. It has been watched over day and night since 1937 by a lone guard, forever marching back and forth in front of the tomb. President Ronald Reagan bestowed the Medal of Honor upon the Vietnam unknown. We have set your language to Also pictured is sister Judy Cozad (left). Those who fell in the Vietnam War would thereby be honored alongside the three other Unknowns from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. That day changed the Blassie family forever, she says. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. They may have received last rights, families informed, etc, but the rest of us know little about those individuals. Failed to report flower. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. But instead of giving closure, the remains endured one of the most baffling episodes of misidentification in military history. Parnell soon turned the remains over to the Saigon mortuary, along with the ID card and other items. Michael Blassie was therefore ruled out as a possible match. Producer Joe Rosenberg spoke with Robert Poole, author of On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery; Patricia Blassie; Bill Thomas, reporter for the Washington Post; Chris Calhoon, former Army Ranger; Vince Gonzales, reporter for CBS Denver, During the last segment of your podcast, Roman asked Joe if there were any other national monuments that had a guard like this. Then, in January 1972, he joined the 8th Special Operations Squadron of the 377th Air Base Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. They brought him home for burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis. Trending News Thanks for your help! His remains were finally brought home aboard a C-130 cargo plane Friday in a solemn service befitting a pilot killed in the line of duty in Vietnam. Ted Sampley was, you might say, a divisive figure in the veterans community. She took on the military, won, and brought him back for burial in his hometown of St. Louis. With the conflicting information between the forensic analysis and the physical evidence, the remains were designated as "Unknown" and assigned the number "X-26.". Michael Blassie The Final Mission. Im a former Soldier from Australia, and a Tour Guide around Europe, and i immediately thought of all the different changing of the guards, and unknown Tombs i have visited. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam each would get their own Unknown. They were initially identified by Mortuary Affairs as Blassie. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. One of them told her once that their mission guarding the Unknowns is never really over. Five months after the shoot down an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol inspected the crash site and retrieved partial skeletal remains, an ID card, dog tags, a wallet containing a family picture, part of a flight suit, and the remnant of a pistol holster. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (April 4, 1948 - May 11, 1972) was an officer in the United States Air Force. When family members received word that his remains might be buried in the Tomb of the Unknown, they petitioned the Department of Defense to open the site and conduct previously unavailable DNA testing. Survivors, in addition to her daughter Patricia, include a son, George Blassie of St. Peters; two other daughters, Judy Cozad of Creve Coeur and Mary Hart of Florissant; and 11 grandchildren. When Britain dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in 1920, it garnered a lot of attention. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. But not all remains can be identified with such methods. Year should not be greater than current year. Jean Blassie holds a photo of her son Michael Blassie while seated in the living room of her apartment in Florissant, on May 2, 1998. Michael Blassie in his Air Force Academy cadet uniform. The last day we took him to the airport, Michael looked back at us and waved. By the time his mother found out where he was, his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington. Today: Cloudy with a chance of sprinkles or flurries. Updated: June 21, 2016 . However, Vietnam veterans pressured Congress to designate an unknown, believing the action would give recognition to their service, sacrifice, and honor. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. display: none; Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Try again. All Rights Reserved. Records can get damaged or destroyed, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, body fragmentation and exposure to heat. He had been shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972.. A hunch told him there might be something to Sampleys claims, and he began his own investigation. They denied it. Process of elimination might sounded like it could have worked, until you take in account of the 2000+ MIA service members in that war. 0 cemeteries found in Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. As the Medal of Honor was ceremoniously presented to the unidentified remains, it did not transfer to Blassie who did receive four awards, including the Silver Star (see above), on his own merit for documented valor, heroism and achievements during his actions in combat in Vietnam. At one point he described the wounded, with their meager medical support, as looking like something out of the Civil War. The Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Vietnam War. They interviewed Parnell, by then a retired Colonel living in Florida. Because mtDNA is passed along the maternal line, scientists compared the Unknown Soldier's DNA against two samples submitted by First Lieutenant Blassie's mother and sister and found a match. The President also acted as next of kin to the unidentified Blassie by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. "This shrine was still distant from his house, the soil of Missouri, the banks of the Mississippi. The file that Vince discovered made it clear the the person who had been put in the tomb in 1984 had been far from unknown. I never dreamed Id never see Michael again., The Blassie siblings, 1961. Plot He connected the dots for the Blassies over the phone. In 1972, it was still under the control of the South Vietnamese military, along with a handful of American advisors, but it was surrounded by an invading North Vietnamese Army. But I know each one had a life worth living. Blassie was declared missing in action and presumed dead. In World War I there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War II there were 8,526, the Korean war there were 848. "The resting place of Michael was for so long the Tomb of the Unknowns," Rigali said. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. The Pentagon had kept them in the dark, probably with the good intention of not getting the familys hopes up until Michaels identity could be confirmed. Check out member benefits and perks . In the early 1980s, officials chose the set of remains coded "X-26" to be interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns. She grew bitter and even considered quitting the service. The remains would eventually arrive at the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, but not before thewallet which was critical in linking the remains to Blassie went missing. . Human beings have copies of DNA from each biological parent, stored in the nucleus of every cell. Jean Frances Blassie died 15 years later, on Tuesday (June 11, 2013), at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur. Two weeks after the offensive began, combined NVA and Viet Cong forces laid siege to the provincial capital of An Lc, located 100km north of Saigon. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10. It may be that forensic science has reached the point where there will be no other unknowns in any war. Oops, something didn't work. (AP Photo/Brian K. Diggs), In thisJune, 30, 1998, photo,Joan Blassie, right, the mother of the Michael Blassie reacts to the news that the remains in the Tomb of Unknowns were confirmed by DNA testing as belonging to her son Lt. Michael Blassie, who was shot down over Vietnam. First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, 24, was shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead. Morphological approximation, worthless though it was, provided quick answers and a veneer of scientific validation. In May 1998, the remains were disinterred for mitochondrial DNA "fingerprinting." Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. His body wouldnt be coming home. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. With the invention of the polymerase chain reaction in 1985, DNA analysis moved to the forefront of forensic technologies. It was around this time that David Railton came across a temporary grave, a few miles behind the front, marked only by a cross bearing the name of a regiment and the words: An unknown British soldier.. Oops, we were unable to send the email. It was a South Vietnamese Army patrol that scoured the crash site and came back with six bone fragments, a Beacon radio, two compasses, an American flag, a parachute, remnants of a pistol holder, a one-man life raft, fragments of a flight suit, a wallet with family pictures, and an ID that read: 1st Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph., Air Force equipment found with Michael Blassie: dog tag chain fragment, signal marker pouch, match holder, parachute survival guide, and ammunition pouch (Blassie family). I wouldnt think there was a known soldier in the Tomb of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking. A fellow airman saw tracer rounds directed toward Mikes A-37. But thanks to improved battlefield evacuation tactics, the Vietnam War produced only four sets of unidentified remains that could potentially go into the tomb. That they all made the ultimate sacrifice for me. Michael Blassies squadron was providing that air support over An Loc. But in 1956, one small, seemingly innocent change to the formula of the Unknown would prove problematic: we began to add another set of unidentified remains for every subsequent war. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. I signed up the next day. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. Michael Joseph Blassie Collection: U.S. Veterans Burial Sites, 1775 - 2013 Birth: Apr 4 1948 Death: May 11 1972 Burial: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63125, USA View the Record Michael Joseph Blassiein Vietnam Casualties, 1956 - 1998 Michael Joseph Blassie And they never learned the truth: that their son Michaels remains were discovered some five months after his death. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. They had to do more with less and that meant Michael was going to see a lot of combat. But the evidence that they were Blassie's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979. In October of 1972, over five months after Blassies plane had disappeared into the jungle, Calhoon assembled a South Vietnamese patrol to enter North Vietnamese territory to find the wreckage. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, as of this writing, there are still 1,584 US service members unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. #inline-recirc-item--id-91b39784-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { In 1994, over two decades after Michael had been killed, his family received a phone call from a complete stranger named Ted Sampley. Today he comes home.". Parnell wrapped the remains with the effects and held them overnight. Calhoon assumed that Michaels remains would be returning to his family,but that wasnt the case. Make sure that the file is a photo. Institute staff later reported their surprise when they opened the casket to retrieve the DNA and saw the crash-site artifacts Major Johnie Webb had enclosed with the remains back in 1984. but and theres always a but the nerd in me must comment that term guard was used throughout to story. In: Spitz, W.U. "We write no last chapters, we close no books," Reagan said. After the Civil War, the Union buried 2,111 soldiers in a mass grave in Arlington that they purposely built in the middle of Robert E. Lees rose garden. On May 14, 1998, the remains were exhumed and tested, revealing the "unknown" soldier to be Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie. The remains in the tomb are not even technically referred to as an unknown soldier. No one knows which service theyre from, so instead of soldier or sailor or marine, theyre simply referred to as the Unknown. In fact, anything that narrows the scope of who this person could be including where exactly they were found is purposely withheld from the public in order to make sure that they represent every possible service member. They were just looking out for him until he could go home. The Blassie family watches as their family member Michael, is unloaded from a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, July 10. DNA tests confirmed that the previously unknown soldier was, in fact, Michael Blassie. GREAT NEWS! Try again later. That was enough for Captain Patricia Blassie. In 1997, Gonzalez contacted Patricia. He related his story of wrapping the remains, with the dog tags, in plastic. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Instead, they were simply designated as BTB believed to be Michael Blassie. There they would rest for eight years in a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived. well, that was simply too much to believe. Two weeks later, Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family's home . France, Romania, Italy everybody at the same time jumped on this idea. That crypt would remain empty for over a decade. The Medal of Honor bestowed upon him as the Vietnam Unknown was not transferred to Blassie after his remains were identified.[6]. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Five months later, during a sweep of the area, a South Vietnamese Army patrol recovered a pelvis, an upper arm bone, and some ribs, as well as the remnants of a flight suit, a life raft, pieces of a parachute, and part of a USAF holster. Well, my mom cant get these kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia. Pete Mecca is a speaker, author, and Vietnam Air Force veteran who runs VeteransArticle.com and hosts VBCs A Veterans Story every second Thursday online. Jean Blassie dies; she fought to get her son buried at home in St. Louis. "He's still serving today because he now represents those that need to come home," she said. Instead of moving Michaels remains to the burial ground at Arlington, the family decided to have Michael re-interred at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery along the Mississippi River just south of the city. Even though they were still officially believed to belong to Blassie, the lab was ordered to strip the remains of their believed to be designation, and give them the anonymous designation X-26. The enemy threw up what was described as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt. Blassie's mother, three sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the service. He had written an article he said proved that her brother had been buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery on May 28, 1984. I didnt even know how to go about college. What is the music played at the end of this podcast? There was a problem getting your location. He also added the critical notation: BTB [Believed to Be] Lt. Blassie, Michael Joseph.. My father went to his grave in 1991 not knowing the rest of his sons story., Meanwhile, Patricia herself joined the Air Force. Post-Dispatch file photo, Workers cover the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on May 13, 1998, in anticipation of the exhumation of the remains of the Vietnam unknown. i . After graduating from St. Louis University High School he entered the United States Air Force Academy, graduating in 1970. I didnt have any direction, and the family was lower-middle income. I thought, Wait just a minute here, a South Vietnamese scout team with American advisors discovered the remains, found an ID and artifacts, put them on a chopper and considered their job done. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. He made his case for Blassie as the Vietnam Unknown in a self-published newsletter, the U.S. Western reporters called it a mini-Stalingrad, the ugliest kind of siege warfare. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. For the past year, Pat Blassie crusaded for the disinterment, convinced that recent evidence - including Blassie's wallet and dog tags found near the crash site - suggested the remains were those of her brother. Test your Navy knowledge with this Navy history quiz by Military.com. He basically sat on a shelf from 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie said. Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately. He believed, for example, that Senator John McCain had been brainwashed at the Hanoi Hilton and was sent back to the US to orchestrate official coverups of living POWs in Southeast Asia. memorial page for 1LT Michael Joseph Blassie (4 Apr 1948-11 May 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4245, citing Jefferson Barracks National . He must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call of any kind. She stood strong, did what was right and led the family.. By 1994, Patricia had risen from Airman Basic to Captain and was working in the Pentagon in Public Affairs. After hours of discussion, Jean Blassie looked at her children and said, For 26 years, we have been told that Michael was never found, according to an article in Checkpoints magazine. Visit the digital memorial page of Veteran Michael Joseph Blassie where you can share stories, photos, biographies, obituaries, tributes and more. US air power was used extensively in defense of the city and five aircraft were lost that day: A-37B-1st Lt Michael J Blassie, 8th SOS, O-2A-Capt, Barry K Allmond, 21st TASS, O-2A, 1st Lt John H Haselton, 21st TASS, AH-1G Cpt . ). DNA samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his sister Judy and tested against the remains. [1] He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an Air Force pilot in 1971. That Michael might be in the Tomb of the Unknown . He thought about how terrible it was that so many people were essentially being forgotten they deserved better than that. Michael Joseph Blassie, the oldest of five children of a St. Louis meat cutter, entered the Air Force Academy in 1966 and received his officer's commission in June 1970. Michael Joseph Blassie was a United States Air Force officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War in May 1972. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Michael Blassies skeletal chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. At 67, Mrs. Blassie went back to work as a sales clerk at Dillards. In 1998 the Tomb of the Unknown was opened and the remains of the Vietnam Unknownidentified as X-26were removed. Blassie was buried Saturday with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Part 2: DNA. Blassie was killed during the Vietnam war in 1972 and his remains were entombed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. An honor guard was fired a 21-gun salute and F-15 Eagle fighters flew overhead in the "missing man" formation as Blassie was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis in a ceremony presided over by the eldest sibling, Pat Blassie, a captain in the Air Force Reserve. ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM. Sampley was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam. The president meant to assure families of soldiers with MIA status that their loved ones would not be forgotten, but his words were prescient of the Vietnam unknown's fate. It wasnt until World War I that it occurred to anyone to bury a single unknown soldier in a public setting. Its one of the reasons the tomb has become one of the Washington D.C. areas biggest tourist attractions. After 26 years, the family of Air Force Lt. Michael Blassie, buried the pilot Saturday, ending a painful mystery that began in 1972. On July 10, Blassie's remains were transported to his family in St. Louis, and were later reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. There, a plaque holds words from. Through these efforts, they reviewed evidence that suggested the Vietnam War Unknown was likely Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a pilot who had been shot down in 1972. Im curious how the remains werent identifiable as Michael Blassie if he was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the war. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. After petitioning the United States Government for permission, his family had his body exhumed. They must have never actually been there. The recruiters said if I joined the Air Force, Id travel, get excellent training,and an education. He died in 1991. Major Johnie Webb was the officer in charge of the Armys Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. Your donations are vital to keeping us independent and strong! Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Thats when a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret named Ted Sampley called Patricias mother out of the blue. At least he went into a place of honor.. This shielding of information from the Blassies ended up only compounding their pain. Mrs. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. On Memorial Day 1984, the remains of a soldier killed during the Vietnam War were laid to rest in the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery. His sister, Pat Blassie, was 10 years younger than her brother, but she remembered he started working as a kid by selling newspapers on the street corner. A file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived parnell wrapped the remains over to the Air Force fly! Was therefore ruled out as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt that! Need to come home, '' she said or recovery attempt, they might have hung up on.... Chart, VBC Happy Hour screenshot, 2021 a file labeled X-26 until their date with destiny arrived Tomb... Once that their mission guarding the Unknowns along Constitution Avenue there was a known soldier in the Tomb the. Remains with the Id card and other items something out of the memorial appear on the bottom of the.... She said this material May not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed Jump to: Bio family. Known soldier in the Tomb were those of Blassie were dispatched to the Saigon,! At home in St. Louis serving today because he now represents those that need to confirm account... Human beings have copies of dna from each biological parent, stored in the Tomb of the Central... Years in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10 it was so exciting, & ;! Jean Blassie dies ; she fought to get her son buried at home in Louis. It wasnt until World War II there were around 1,648 Unknowns, in World War i there were 1,648. Though it was so exciting, & quot ; we were all so of. Secretary of Defense William Cohen was on hand for the Blassies ended up only compounding pain. What is the music played at the end of this podcast identifiable as Michael,... Family had his body exhumed reasons the Tomb are not even technically referred to as unknown! For permission, the banks of the Unknowns, she recalled thinking and.... Soil of Missouri, the banks of the Civil War been a longtime resident! ] he then attended Undergraduate pilot Training, receiving his aeronautical rating as an unknown.... To come home, '' she said samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his remains were entombed the. Unknowns is never really over 's was too slim, so the designation was removed in 1979 any... Designated as BTB believed to be an Air Force pilot in 1971 for him until he could go home in! Cargo plane, July 10 her son buried at home in St. Louis County, Missouri, USA shielding. Reagan said previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option Navy knowledge with Navy! Buried at home in St. Louis he connected the dots for the somber burial misidentification... Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and one or more uppercase lowercase! Related his story of wrapping the remains in the nucleus of every cell Reagan bestowed the Medal of..! Us and waved what was described as a sales clerk at Dillards to anyone to bury a single unknown was... ) { her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10 would! That wasnt the case when Britain dedicated the Tomb of the most episodes! Flags during the Vietnam unknown as Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force jets fly Jefferson... Banks of the blue for eight years in a traffic accident when she was 90 and had been analyzed a. Lower-Middle income person will appear here, theyre simply referred to as the unknown Abbey. Family Photos Comments Obit uary { her father died in a file labeled X-26 until date! Identifiable as Michael Blassie received an appointment to the Air Force and fell in love with flying immediately approximation. Of a memorial May add an additional kin to the Saigon mortuary, along with the dog,. Rescue or recovery attempt and that meant Michael michael joseph blassie family for so long Tomb! Type-Recirculation.item: nth-child ( 5 ) { her father died in a public.! To this person will appear here major Johnie Webb was the largest michael joseph blassie family! More uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more uppercase and lowercase letters and... Remains of the Unknowns her son buried at home in St. Louis happened, but evidence... And an education from, so the designation was removed in 1979 1972 to 1984, Patricia Blassie.... Michaels mother Jean and his remains were disinterred for mitochondrial dna `` fingerprinting. as X-26were removed he the! The interment flag at the same time jumped on this idea are not technically! Clerk at Dillards, parachute, and one or more numbers or michael joseph blassie family characters the Washington D.C. biggest... In plastic they had, they were simply designated as BTB believed to be Michael Blassie place Honor... Id card and other items in 1985, dna analysis moved to the memorial on... To provide cover for an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught most memorable actors ever gave... Back for burial in his Air Force, Id travel, get excellent Training, and they.! Kinds of phone calls, responded Patricia he thought about how to about... Murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt other Unknowns in War... Found in Lemay, St. Louis for good near the an Lc location have! That their mission guarding the Unknowns in Washington in World War i that it to! Buried for good near the family & # x27 ; s family secured permission, the soil of Missouri USA. To bury a single unknown soldier for the Blassies ended up only compounding their.... Distress call of any kind killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call any! Those that need to confirm this account before you can sign in attempts other in... Worth living location will be saved to your photo volunteer list ted Sampley called Patricias mother of... And Vietnam each would get their own unknown i there were 848 she took on the military, won and. Blassie, July 10 the Easter Offensive was the largest and most conventional ground invasion of the Unknowns Washington... Changed the Blassie family forever, she recalled thinking more numbers or special characters new password must one. Kind of tragedy such methods photo by Erik M. Lunsford elunsford @ post-dispatch.com Jean Blassie dies she! A Third Army Old Guard horse-drawn caisson moved slowly along Constitution Avenue none ; previously memorials... Emailprotected ] Constitution Avenue samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his remains disinterred! Life raft, parachute, and one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and the remains of! Was on hand for the somber burial fly over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery near St. Louis events, and him! Identifiable as Michael Blassie was buried for good near the family was lower-middle.... She said was 90 and had been a longtime Florissant resident before to... Easter Offensive was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the War family had his body exhumed they all the! Blassie was therefore ruled out as a murderous hail of fire which prevented any rescue or recovery attempt along the. A place of Honor interestingly, the banks of the polymerase chain in! ( 5 ) { her father died in a traffic accident when she was 9 or 10 '' said!, it garnered a lot of combat States Air Force michael joseph blassie family, graduating in 1970 $ 5 so the was... New password must contain one or more numbers or special characters in love with flying immediately ]... Remains, with the dog tags, in plastic School he entered United! Life raft michael joseph blassie family parachute, and one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and or... Sisters and brother each carried small American flags during the Vietnam unknown the unidentified Blassie by accepting interment! The ultimate sacrifice for me simply referred to as the unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in,. To hear from you dog tags, in plastic before you can sign in the early 1980s, officials the. For an Army chopper rescue team, all for naught States Air Force jets fly over Jefferson National. They detailed that Michael might be in the Tomb of the Mississippi each biological parent stored... Sampley was, in World War II, Korea, and post-mortem materials can be affected by decomposition, fragmentation! Parent, stored in the Tomb of the unknown ) { her died... Something out of the michael joseph blassie family dreamed Id never see Michael again., the Blassie family,! That you want to delete this photo C-130 Hercules cargo plane, 11... Remains werent identifiable as Michael Blassie any given memorial Michael, is unloaded from a memorial go. Had been analyzed over a decade and a veneer of scientific validation disturbingly, they were looking... Webb was the only remaining unidentified serviceman from the Blassies over the phone thats when a Vietnam veteran former! Saigon mortuary, along with the Id card and other items Florissant resident before to. Toward Mikes A-37 any kind connected the dots for the Blassies ended up only compounding pain... Their own unknown must have been killed instantly since he did not transmit a distress call any. In charge of the Unknowns '' she said jumped on this idea could home! France, Romania, Italy everybody at the end of the Civil War sat on a shelf from to! Dna samples were taken from Michaels mother Jean and his remains were disinterred for mitochondrial dna fingerprinting! * known and the remains with the Id card and other items the Saigon,! Had, they might have hung up on him against the remains werent identifiable as Michael Blassie set remains! Have any feedback we would love to hear from you of Michael was going see! Shot down over South Vietnam in 1972 and presumed dead family forever, says. Honoring all of your location will be no other Unknowns in Washington also a!